Tuesday 19 Feb 2019

I started out at the crack of dawn, in an effort to beat today’s expected 40º midday temperature. So I was super pissed off when just outside Aberdeen I had another flat rear tire. I haven’t noticed any puncture vine, goat heads, whatever your want to call them, but it must be something like that. Then, after fixing my rear tire, my front tire was also very soft, but fortunately it sealed itself and I only had to pump it up. Thankfully it stayed cloud covered most of the morning and despite the delay it didn’t get hot until I was almost at Sandy.

Castle Rock

I followed mostly the BNT route except that instead of going through Bell’s Gap I kept following Castle Rock Road, thereby avoiding some further cross country tracks and also it was a tiny bit shorter. However, I did therefore miss the wineries along Yarraman Road, although having been there twice before and not inclined to buy any wine, it didn’t really matter.

No more services here

My tires held up the rest of the day. I checked in at the caravan park, the third time I’m staying there in 20 years, and the pool is still operative despite the serious drought conditions. It costs them a fortune to keep it topped up! The little cafe/gallery isn’t there any longer. The owners retired a few months ago and the man has died since. Some retirement! So I had coffee at the Shell station next door. Was hoping to find a cheap bottle of wine (like the $6 bottle I got in Aberdeen) but at the pub here they start at $25, so I’ll do without. Gosh, without my regular dose of beer or wine I may get even skinnier! I’ll have dinner at the pub though, and mayhap a brew or two.

These vineyards just north of Sandy don’t look too healthy!

Spent most of the afternoon at the pool — at 39º it is really the only sensible place to be. But I still have to patch my tube since I “fixed” my flat this morning with my spare. There is rain in the forecast but nobody seems to believe it will actually happen. After three years of drought many seem to have given up hope, but perhaps I’m reading that wrong. I keep hoping for everyone here that rain will come soon, but please, not until after I have passed through the area 😁!

I also made some phone calls to make sure locked gates will be left unlocked for the next couple of days, and to hopefully get the codes for the NPWS combination locks which I’ll need in three or four days time.

Today’s totals 48k 3:35h 485m+ 515m-